Vehicle construction



Nov. 27, 1934. J, R. HUGHES 1,982,105

VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION y Filed May 26, 1953 l' v VENToR.

34 BY 4uned Q/ t ATTORNE Patented Nov. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION Application May 26, 1933, Serial No. 672,977

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and novel automotive vehicle construction and particularly to the mounting or the vehicle body upon the running boards which are then secured to the outer 5 faces of the chassis frame members in such a manner that the over-all height of the vehicle will be lower than the height of conventional automobiles.

y The principal object of this invention is to provide running boards adapted to be attached to the outer faces of the chassis frame side members, the running boards being shaped to support the body sills independently of the chassis frame members.

Another object is to provide a structure which will reduce the over-all height of the vehicle and permit the use of body sills having greater strength andrigidity than those heretofore used.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for supporting the body sills in spaced relationship with the chassis frame to permit centering of the body sills relative to the chassis frame and eliminate distortion of the body sills in assembly and in use.

A still further object of the invention is to pro- Vide vertical adjustment of the running boards when assembling the same to the chassis frame so that the supports for the body sills will be in proper alignment to thereby eliminate any unnecessary strain upon the vehicle body.

Other objects relating to details of construction and methods of manufacture will be apparent from the detailed description to follow.

The accompanying drawing illustrates an acceptable mechanical embodiment of the idea of the invention; however, the drawing is to be taken as illustrative only and not as limiting the invention, the scope of which is to be measured entirely by the scope of the sub-joined claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an automotive vehicle including a body mounted thereon in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, illustrating a preferred method of attaching the body sill to the running boards, the latter being secured to the chassis frame.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, illustrating a suitable method of reinforcing the running boards.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, showing a somewhat modified form of attaching the running board to the chassis frame.

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, showingv the mounting of the running board on to the frame side member.

Heretofore some eiTort has been made to reduce the over-all height of automotive vehicles by securing the body sill to the side of the chassis frame but such attachments have not been entirely satisfactory because the body sill is often distorted in attaching the same to the chassis frame. Other methods such as securing the body sill to brackets secured on the outer face of the chassis frame have been tried but such constructions have been relatively expensive and not capable of the easy assembly of` parts as devised by my present invention, and in such prior constructions diiiiculty has been encountered in properly attaching the running board to the chassis frame.

These objections have been overcome by the present invention, and now referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral 10 indicates generally the body oi an automotive vehicle. The body may comprise a cowl ll, front doors 12, rear doors 13 and body sills indicated generally at 14. A running board 15 on each side of the vehicle is secured to the corresponding side chassis frame member 16 in a manner to be hereafter more fully described, and has attached thereto the front and rear fenders 17 and 18. Although I have shown only one chassis frame side member, running board and body sill, it will be understood that these members are the same for each side oi the Vehicle, except that they are in reversed position.

Referring to Fig. 2, the chassis frame member 16 comprises two channel-shaped members 19 and 20. rThe channel member 19 is provided with short iianges at top and bottom and is tted within the longer flanges of the channel member 2() in such a manner that the ends of the flanges of both members are in alignment and are secured together by welding or any other suitable means to form a box shaped structure. The upper liange of the channel member 20 is preferably covered with rubber, leather or any other suitable anti-squeak material 23 on which is positioned the .door boards 2li, the same being secured. to the chassis frame in any suitable manner.

Brackets 25 adapted to assist in supporting the running board are secured to the lower flange of the channel member 20 by rivets 26 or by welding, bolts or other suitable means within the knowledge of mechanics skilled in' this art.

Each running board 15 is provided with a vertical iiange, preferably extending the full length of the running board, which is secured to the outer face of the frame channel member by means of bolts 27 extending through aligned apertures 20a in the frame channel member 20 and apertures 28a in the fiange 28.

The apertures 20a in the frame channel member 20 or the apertures 28a in the flange 28 are preferably elongated to permitadjustment of the running board 15 relative to the vehicle frame so that the support for the body sills 14 can be leveled up to thereby eliminate any strains or stresses to which the body would otherwise be subjected. To permit easy assembly of the running board 15 to the chassis frame 16, openings 29 are provided in the inner channel members 19 to provide for easy access to the bolts 27.

The running board 15, as illustrated in Fig. 2, is somewhat irregular in shape in cross section and comprises the vertical flange 28 provided with the apertures heretofore described for receiving the bolts 27, a horizontally extending portion 30 formed at right angles to the vertical flange 28, and a radial portion terminating in a horizontal portion forming the step plate 32. The free or outer edgeportion of the running board 15 terminates in a beaded flange 34 to provide a finishing member and also a strengthening flange. To provide reinforcement for the running board and particularly between the flange 28 and the horizontal portion 30, themetal is pressed outv to provide the wedge-shaped gussets 33, as illustrated in Fig.3. rl'hese reinforcements which may be of any suitable number, are preferably spaced equidistant between the attaching bolts to provide for the necessary strength and rigidity 1 of the running board, and especially the stepplate portion thereof.

Secured to the under face of the running board 15 by welding or other suitable means are U- shaped brackets 35 having nut retainers 36 suitably secured thereto. The supporting brackets 25 are adaptedk to bear against the U-shaped brackets 35 and are provided with suitable apertures therein to receive the bolts 37 for securing the running board 15 to the brackets 25.v It is desirable to use this extra reinforcing means as a safeguard against injury should heavy loads be applied to the step-plate portion 32 of the running yboard 15.

The body sill indicated generally at 14 comprises an outer member 40 having an upper flange 41 suitably recessed at 42 to receive the flange 43 of the body door 12 or 13, and an inner member 45 having an upper flange adapted to be suitably secured in any suitable manner to the upper flange 41 of the outer member 40. The outer member 40 is also provided with a lower flange 46 suitably secured to the lower ange 45 of the inner sill member 45 to provide a box-like structure as is clearly indicated in Fig. 2.

Positioned between the horizontally extending portion 30 of the running board 15 and the lower ange 46 of the outer member 40 of the sill member 14 is an anti-squeak member 47 formed of any suitable material. The anti-squeak member 47 preferably extends downwardly against the outer face of the chassis frame member 20 and between that member and the vertical flange 28 of the running board 15 to thereby prevent metalto-metal contact ofthe body sill with the running board, and the running board with the chassis frame.

tures vof thelower flange 46 of the outer body sill member 40 for securing t e body sill to the running board 15. To prevent turning of the nuts on the bolt, suitable nut retainers 49 are suitably secured to the inner face of the lower flange 46 of the bodysill member 40.

The body sill 14 is mounted on the running board as heretofore described in spaced relationship to the chassis frame 16 and is inclined relative thereto to conform with the shape of thebody. To close the opening or gap between the inner body sill 14'and the floor boards 24, a cover plate 50 is provided which may be secured in anydesired manner to the upper flange 41 of the body sill member 40.

In Fig. 4, I have illustrated a construction which is similar to that shown in Fig. 2 and, therefore, like parts will be referred to by like numerals, and a repetition of the description of those parts is not thought necessary. In this construction, however, the reinforcing gussets 33 are eliminated from the running board structure and in' their place a bracket 65 having suitable reinforcements 66 formed therein extend the full length of the running board kand it, together with the running board, is secured to the chassisframe member 20 by the bolts 27 in'the same manner as in the construction illustrated in Fig. 2. Likewise, the body sill 14 is secured to the running board 15 and the bracket 65 by the bolts 48 in the same manner as illustrated in Fig.,2.

Having now described my invention, it 'will be evident to those skilled in the art that equivalent structuresmay be used without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and I, therefore, desire to claim my invention broadly 110 as well as specifically as indicated by the,v ap-` pended claims. f l

What I claim is:

l. A vehicle construction comprising, a chassis frame having side members, running boards having vertical flanges secured to said side members, and body sills supported outwardly of said flange by said running boards in spaced relation to said side members. 1 1 2. A vehicle construction comprising, aV chassis 120 frame having side members, running boards hav- Y ing vertical flanges secured to said side members, horizontally'. extending portions and step-plates offset therefrom yformed with said portions to provide a continuous shield, and body sills supported by said horizontal portions of said running boards in spaced relation to said side members.

3. A vehicle construction comprising', a chassis frame having side members, running boards having flanges secured to said side members, body sill receiving portions andtstep-plates extending outwardly therefrom, formed with said portions to provide a continuous shield, and bodyv sills supported by said sill receiving portions in spaced relation to said side members.

4'. A vehicle construction comprising, a chassis frame having side members, running boards having flanges secured to said side members, -body sill receiving portions and step-plates extending 1.40

outwardly therefrom formed with said portions to provide a continuous shield, .braces secured to the underfaces of said .side members and running boards, and body sills secured to said sill receiving portions in spaced relation to said side members.

5. A vehicle constructioncomprising, a chassis frame having side members, running boards including step plates to permit easy ingress and egress to and 'from the vehicle and `iiange se- 150 cured to said side members, body sills positioned obliquely to said side members supported by said ruiming boards in spaced relation to said side members, and floor boards supported by said side members independently of said body sills.

6. A vehicle construction comprising, a chassis side frame member, a running board assembly having a step plate, a flange portion integral therewith secured to the side face of said frame member, a bracket extending beneath the step plate secured to the bottom face of said frame member, and a body sill attached to said running board in spaced relation to said frame member.

7. A vehicle construction comprising, a chassis side frame member, a running board assembly having a flange extending substantially the length thereof secured to the side face of said frame member, a body sill receiving portion above and extending outwardly from said flange, a step plate extending outwardly from said sill receiving portion, a bracket beneath said step plate secured to said frame member, and a body sill attached to said sill receiving portion in spaced relation to said frame member.

8. A vehicle construction comprising, a chassis side frame member, a running board assembly having a iiange extending substantially the length thereof secured to the side face of said frame member, a body sill receiving portion above and extending outwardly from said ange, a step plate extending outwardly from said sill receiving portion, a bracket beneath said step plate secured to said frame member, and a box-Shaped sill attached to said sill receiving portion in spaced relation and obliquely to said frame member.

9. A vehicle construction comprising, a chassis frame having side members, running boards extending outwardly from said side members, means to secure said running boards to said side members, means to permit vertical adjustment of said running boards relative to said side members, and body sills attached to said running boards in spaced relation to and independently of said side members.

JAMES R. HUGHES. 

